With The World At Their Feet: A Story of Water, Wind, and Waves
Travelling has not been on the cards for most in the past year. Most, meaning those who have yet to pick up sailing that is. To adventure seekers Emilia and Christian, freedom is always just around the corner with the help of their sailboat named Vindlek.
The couple enjoys spending time in nature. Emilia grew up in Jämtland (a county located in the middle of Sweden), where beautiful nature is readily available right outside the door. Now, living in central Stockholm, experiencing nature is not as easy. “Both of us felt that we needed some kind of change and we were a bit frustrated for a while thinking about what we could do! Christian likes to watch some (or a lot!) of Youtube videos, where he accidentally found a sailing channel. The channel belongs to a Canadian couple who are travelling in their catamaran, visiting magical places all around the world. “We were completely sold on the idea of sailing, to be able to utilise your home both as transportation and accommodation. Moreover, the Stockholm archipelago is such a magical place! We decided that sailing would be our new way of getting back out into nature and to make the best use of our free time,” says Emilia.
Finding Vindlek
The couple continued their education on Youtube and learned more about the adventures of other sailors around the globe, and started to frequently check online ads for available sailboats in Sweden. Within a year they found Vindlek, and decided to pounce. “It was not long before two specific brands of sailboat became our preferred choice, Linjett and Arcona, mainly since Christian’s grandparents had great experience of these boats. They owned a Linjett 32 (same as Vindlek) when they were younger, and they enjoyed it immensely,” says Emilia.
After having looked at two boats, Vindlek was the one the couple could not forget. “The boat is incredibly well-kept and in very good shape for being almost 40 years old, and we understood what high quality Swedish, hand-built boats possess. It was the perfect boat for us to properly learn how to sail. It felt extra special since Christian’s grandparents had had a boat just like it before so we came to an agreement with the seller, and then Vindlek was ours!”
Despite the couple’s excitement over their new purchase, Emilia could never have imagined that sailing would become such a big part of their lives due to the little experience they had, as well as the traumatic event that was her first sailing encounter. “Christian has some sailing experience from his childhood, whereas for me all of this was completely new. My first ever sailing adventure took place on a visit to France a couple of summers prior to purchasing Vindlek, and I was invited to come along and sail a Hobie Cat with Christian and his Dad. It was very windy that day and all of a sudden the boat tipped over, and I was scared to death! In that moment, I could never have imagined that I one day would be the owner of a sailboat.”
A Sense of Freedom
Today, the couple would not trade the feeling of freedom their sailing provides for anything. “We have gone camping a bit and we usually compare sailboats to an extremely luxurious tent, you can bring your home wherever you go. Also, we always have a house with a lake view house this way.” The couple emphasise that the journey is something they appreciate immensely, and not just the destination. “It is so lovely to be out sailing for several hours and to then arrive at a cosy natural harbour (i.e., a place to anchor or tie up to a rock), light up the barbeque, and enjoy the stillness.” However, sailors face many challenges which they cannot control. “You never quite know how a sailing trip will end since you are so dependent on the weather. But that is precisely what makes the experience so exciting and variable.”
Their first season sailing Vindlek in 2018 provided a lot of great memories. The weather that year was extremely warm and sunny, with calm winds and warm waters. “A very strong memory I have from this period is when we were sailing with family and friends in Finnhamn in early May. We were all enjoying the sailing and the warm rays of sunshine on the cliffs. Before the high summer season in the Stockholm archipelago is the best part of the year for sailing, right after a cold spring and when the first bit of heat is starting to arrive.”
April Adventure: Sailing From Germany To Sweden
Now, the couple has gotten a new boat (having sold Vindlek in August 2020) which they plan on sailing from Germany to Stockholm this spring, a journey which can take up to a week to complete. “We hope that we will be able to start the journey in April if the pandemic allows for us to travel to Germany. We will bring friends and family who are really looking forward to a longer sailing trip.”
The new sailboat is a Najad 400, which also is a Swedish built boat, and is especially suited for longer journeys. The plan is either to sail the entire way in one go without stopping along the way, or to visit a few destinations such as Visby on the southern Swedish island of Gotland. “We have not sailed this kind of boat before, and we are very much looking forward to experiencing the difference to our Vindlek.”
On the Horizon
In the future, the couple is dreaming about taking longer journeys, which is why the new purchase was made. “This is a way of testing the boat properly, to get all of the necessary equipment, and to explore the opportunity to work remotely from our sailboat in the future. Remote working has become normalised with the help of the pandemic, and we are hoping that it will be possible for us to keep working from our seaborne home. If we can make that happen, we will have unlimited possibilities to explore more of the Baltic Sea, and we might even be able to head further south and explore warmer waters...that would be a dream come true!
Advice for others:
Sailing is all about learning by doing! You have to start small and dare to try things out. It is ok to make mistakes! It is impossible to plan everything when it comes to sailing, the only way to learn is to dare to try it out. The Stockholm archipelago and its thousands of islands is the perfect environment for beginners, both to practice navigation and sailing but also for enjoying everything this place has got to offer- from quiet natural harbours to crowded restaurants. There is something for everyone here!